SI 2026/324 prescribes the mandatory content of the Written Statement of Terms that landlords must provide to tenants before any new assured periodic tenancy is entered into from 1 May 2026 onwards.
The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/324) came into force on 1 May 2026. These Regulations set out the tenancy terms and other information which landlords of relevant private rented sector assured tenancies in England must include in the written statement they give to their tenants under section 16D of the Housing Act 1988 and the information they must give to their tenants under paragraph 7(2) of Schedule 6 to the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
The Regulations apply to all private landlords in England who grant new assured tenancies, including landlords who use letting agents. They do not apply to social housing landlords yet. The prescribed content of the Written Statement includes the landlord's full name and address for service, the tenant's name, the property address, the tenancy start date, the amount of rent and payment date (with the rent period not exceeding one calendar month), details of any bills charged by the landlord, the grounds on which the landlord may seek possession, and a range of statutory duty statements relating to property standards and safety obligations.
If landlords fail to issue the written statement of terms before the tenancy is entered into, the local authority may impose a civil penalty of up to ?7,000. Landlords are not required to use a specific form of wording, provided all prescribed information is included, and the information can be provided within a written tenancy agreement or given separately. Landlords who continue to use old assured shorthold tenancy templates with fixed-term clauses risk enforcement action, as a landlord can receive a civil penalty from the local authority if they use an old-style AST with a fixed-term period and without the new compulsory terms. All tenancy agreements should be reviewed and updated without delay.
Action required
For every new tenancy granted on or after 1 May 2026, provide a Written Statement of Terms containing all prescribed information before the tenancy is signed or otherwise agreed. This may be incorporated into the tenancy agreement itself or supplied as a standalone document.
Effective
2026-05-01
This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Always verify information against the original source and seek independent professional guidance before acting on any regulatory matter.